Tag, You're It!
by Amaryllis D. Namikaze
Summary: Uzumaki Kori was a two-year-old little girl. She was a two-year-old little girl at the hospital. And also was a two-year-old little girl when adopted. By Kakashi. Seriously, who thought this was a good idea? - Daddy!Kaka Smart!FemNaru ShikaFem!Naru
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **it's no new fact that I don't own Naruto or any of its characters. Blah, blah, blah.

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**Prologue**

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"_What_?"

Kakashi stared at the old Hokage as if the man was crazy. Had he heard it right?

"Exactly what I said, Kakashi," the Sandaime replied patiently, as if knowing that his reaction would be this one – which he probably did. "You're retiring from ANBU."

"But, sir…" Kakashi stuttered, for once not understanding what was happening. Why would he be forcefully retired from the organization? He had done all missions perfectly, successfully.

The old Hokage stayed in silence for a minute, his eyes glued to Kakashi clueless expression. The seventeen-year-old ninja sitting in front of him had gone through more than many veterans. He'd just spent almost the last the three years of his life drowning in missions and not resurfacing when coming back to Konoha. If he kept this up, the young man would snap someday.

"The problem, Kakashi," Hiruzen finally spoke, "is not your success rate, which _is_ very good. The problem is the time you spend doing these missions."

Kakashi's only visible eye showed all his astonishment.

"Do you want me to finish them faster?" The silver-haired man never felt so dumb.

The Sandaime did not even blink, "No, I want you to quit, as I stated before."

"B-But why, sir?"

Kakashi couldn't even remember the last time he stuttered to pathetically. Probably before his father had committed suicide, since he became an ice block after the event.

"I need a favor from you, actually."

_A favor?_, the silver-haired man thought. The Hokage didn't ask favors to ninjas – he gave _orders_. What could he – a simple ANBU, now Jounin – do for him?

"I'm sure you know about Uzumaki Kori?"

Kakashi froze on the spot.

How could he not? He'd listened to his sensei's babbles about "his baby" during months, saying how pretty she would be or how strong he would be. He heard Minato-sensei complaining about Kushina, who decided she wanted to eat weird food combinations in the middle of the night. Even Kakashi was once woken up by a moody redhead at three a.m. because Minato wouldn't get up and buy her banana pie with eggs.

"What about her?" He asked rather abruptly. He had seen the girl once, almost three years ago. She was a small thing with a tuft of blond hair and fair skin. One look at her and Kakashi couldn't gather courage to ask about the baby again – she looked too much like his sensei.

He was coward, Kakashi knew.

"She'll be three in eight weeks. She's Minato's daughter – and, despite this, she haven't seen you once."

"I…"

Hiruzen raised one hand, thankfully stopping Kakashi, because the man wasn't sure of what he was going to say anyway.

"I'm aware of why you have never seen her again. It'd be too much, too _difficult_, for you. I understood this at the moment. However, it is time to let go."

"Let go? _Let go?_" Kakashi stood up. He should not talk to his leader this way, but he was so fed up of people trying to understand him, trying to make him feel not guilty. "Minato-sensei took care of me as a father would since mine decided to kill himself! He stayed by my side even when I was a stupid, arrogant brat. How can I throw away his kindness? _How can I forget him_? Or Kushina? Or Obito? Or Rin?"

The older man sighed.

"Calm down, Kakashi – you know that I didn't mean it like that. Now, sit down." The younger ninja did so. "What I _meant_ is that you don't have a life of your own. You take three S-ranked missions per week – some lasting more than a day to go and come back, mind you – and, when you're doing this, you just stay at the Memorial Stone. This isn't healthy."

Kakashi shrugged, not looking worried about the fact.

"Why would it matter? I don't have a family anyway."

The Sandaime felt his headache worsening.

"But you have friends – friends who _do _care about your well-being. Maito Gai asks about you every time he sees me, as does Asuma, Kurenai, Genma and even Anko. They are your friends, aren't they?"

Kakashi felt like a child being scolded. He looked away, not willing to meet the Hokage's eyes. Truthfully – as always – he was a little ashamed of his attitude. Had he been such a brat these years? It seemed as if he hadn't changed anything.

_In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum_, Obito had said. Kakashi closed his eye for moment. That's right – his teammate would kick his ass for being such a prick.

"Alright," the silver-haired man agreed. "Officially speaking: I, Hatake Kakashi, quit the organization Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai."

"Good."

Kakashi hesitated. The Hokage was still looking at him, waiting.

"What about… Kori?"

It was a little hard to pronounce her name. Not the name itself, but its meaning. He knew that his sensei and his wife spent weeks searching for a beautiful name. It would Naruto if it was a boy, they said, but Kori if it was a girl.

_"Because it means maiden, ne, Kakashi?" _Minato-sensei had smiled and winked. Kakashi had nodded in agreement at the time, though he hadn't had the slightest idea why the couple was so cheerful about naming their could-be daughter 'maiden'.

"She's at the hospital."

The news took Kakashi out of his daydream. It felt as if a bucket of cold water had fallen over his head. Suddenly, the Jounin felt the urge to run to the said building. Weird reaction.

"Some _men_," Hiruzen almost hissed the word, "managed to find her and beat her almost to death. Fortunately, her tenant seems to heal her injuries faster than a normal human would. I suppose there's one advantage."

For a moment, the elder stopped speaking, his lips twisted in a small, bitter smile. Then, he looked up and Kakashi saw tired eyes.

"I want you to adopt her."

Kakashi blinked. Again. And again.

"_What_?"

And that's where it started.


	2. Kori's Blue Eyes

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter 1: Kori's Blue Eyes**

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Two days later, Kakashi could be found in front of the hospital. He was officially out of the ANBU – his way of hiding from the past. He was officially adopting Uzumaki Kori – his sensei's daughter.

Honestly speaking, the man didn't know which option was more terrifying.

He breathed deeply.

Although he was a little _freaked _out by Sandaime's words, he _knew _he could do it. Or, at least, the silver-haired man hoped so. _Shit_! How was he going to take care of a toddler? The Jounin himself had never been a _child _per se. He was a Genin at five and Chunnin at six. What did children like? Sweets, toys? Kori probably would like those things, right?

Kakashi frowned.

_She would like those things,_ he repeated in his head, bitterly, _mainly because she never had them._

He walked to the secretary's table a few feet away from the entrance. She batted her eyelashes as soon as she saw him – and sneered as soon as Kakashi asked about Uzumaki Kori's room.

Kakashi practically growled at her.

_There are some facts that you must be aware of,_ the Sandaime had said.

The woman said the directions almost not looking at his face, not interested anymore.

_She's incredibly smart for a toddler, being capable of reading and forming full sentences – but…_

The silver-haired man didn't thank the secretary, making his own disgusted face. Sure, he was a coward and couldn't gather courage to see the child, but it was for his own reasons. The villagers were simply being idiots when treating her this way.

_But she doesn't talk much. Actually, she doesn't _like _to talk; I think she's afraid of it._

Kakashi looked around, searching for room number 78.

_She isn't, hm, potty-trained. She's intelligent and understands, hem, the mechanisms, but something at the orphanage happened and Kori is terrified. I hope and expect you to help her, Kakashi._

Kakashi had mixed emotions. He wanted to meet Kori, but didn't want to. He wanted to take care of her, but didn't want to. It was confusing for him to feel this way. He was used to being in control of his emotions. He was used to just feeling lonely or stoic. He was used to silence. Would a child even be silent despite Sandaime's words?

_She's just a little girl. Please._

* * *

She was asleep.

The bed was too big for such a tiny body – she was drowning in blankets. Her shoulder-length hair was dispersed over the white pillow, its sunny-blond color forming a halo around her face full of baby-fat. Pink lips and button nose were situated between whiskered cheeks and under long eyelashes.

She was asleep.

And looked like an angel while being so.

Kakashi couldn't help but observe her. The toddler was like a younger, female version of his sensei. Except for the heart-shaped face that was Kushina's, she could pass as a Minato version person. And – God – she looked as beautiful and innocent as a newly-bloomed flower.

Guilt burned inside him before he could stop it.

Her eyelids trembled, before slowly opening. Her small jaw tensed while tiny – _so, so tiny – _hands gripped the sheets. Her eyes were big and round like her mother's, but melted-sapphire blue instead of violet. She was cute. She was beautiful. She was innocent. But – there was something – something wrong…

The small child bore cold orbs instead of amazingly breathtaking eyes. Its color was incredibly pretty, but there was too much loneliness in them. Her tense jaw, her trembling hands, her distrustful expression – everything was too icy.

Was she going to say something? Kakashi himself wasn't sure of what to say.

"Hello," he greeted, trying to make his smile not come out as a wince. He failed. "I'm Hatake Kakashi."

Kori looked, and looked, and looked. The Sandaime said that she could speak full sentences with no error, which meant that she could understand what he had just spoken… couldn't she? Kakashi didn't know much about babies, but was sure that most of them couldn't remember their early years.

He felt useless.

Fortunately, said leader chose to enter the room, saving the silver-haired man from the embarrassing silence. He looked serious, but smiled when greeting the child.

"How are you feeling, my dear? Does your arm still hurt? I can call the nurse if you want to."

Kakashi mentally face-palmed. _That _was what he was supposed to do. Not standing in silence like an idiot.

Kori shook her head. _No_.

"This man here is called Hatake Kakashi," the Sandaime introduced him once again and, this time, Kakashi waved with less hesitation. "He is a Jounin and friend. You can trust him, dear child."

_He won't hurt you_, the Sandaime was saying. Kakashi understood the message said between lines, and wondered if the blonde toddler did too. Her once frozen body was a little less tense.

"He and I came here because Kakashi wants to adopt you."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, analyzing her reaction. For a moment, her eyes screamed incredulity, before fading to nothingness. Her body remained tense through Sarutobi's explanation about she would live with him and he'd take care of her. It was impossible to say that this child was happy.

"And you can be a family," the leader of the village ended cheerfully.

The silver-haired Jounin wished that the Sandaime did not say things like this. He was an ex-ANBU. Could he even love the tiny being on this bed? He was never the family type.

"I'll leave you alone so you can chat. Until next time, my dear."

The Sandaime came closer to give her a hug. Kori didn't move much, obviously still in pain, but tried to wrap her thin arms around the elder. She looked so frail, so tiny while doing so that Kakashi couldn't help but think that he'd anything to keep her from harm.

And, eventually, they were alone again.

Kori tried staying awake, but her body gave up, too tired to stay tense for long periods of time. Kakashi sat on chair, waiting. He was given a _small vacation_ – as the Sandaime had happily laughed about it – to settle thing down and take care of his newest ward.

Kakashi thought that the Sandaime could also give him instructions, because he had no idea of what to do.

Kori simply slept.


	3. Kakashi's Weird Routine

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and any of its characters.**

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**Chapter 2: Kakashi's Weird Routine**

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The first week was strange.

Kakashi wasn't the talkative type, but Kori gave a new meaning to the word silent. She never cried or groaned, despite the pain in her limbs. He expected coos or whatever things babies like to babble about. The child, however, stayed quiet, not even saying _hello _or _thank you_.

They established a routine even without realizing it. Kakashi was used to waking up early, but tried to sleep until, at least, eight a.m. every day. Five a.m. seemed a little _too _early to wake up a growing child. Speaking about size, Kori was small enough to pass of as a baby instead of a toddler. The silver-haired man wasn't an expert in human anatomy, but could tell when someone was malnourished – so, he made sure to cook a healthy breakfast.

Kori was sleeping in the toddler bed he fixed in the guest room – that he had never used and, apparently, would never do it. The room had been painted blue, and Kori didn't seem to dislike it. Not that the Jounin could tell exactly, she hadn't said anything about it, or anything for that matter.

Kakashi would wake her at nine o'clock and she would eat what was on the table without complaint. After the first meal, said man discovered that he would need to buy a baby chair for Kori, because she was too small to reach the table without being on her knees. All meals went this way.

As for Kori's bathroom problems… The Sandaime was right: the toddler couldn't use the toilet. Every time he changed her diaper, the silver-haired Jounin could feel her as stiff as wood – but she came to him when she needed changing, which Kakashi considered an achievement.

There also was a problem when Kakashi decided to give her a bath: Kori was terrified of water. Well, not _water,_ but – apparently – _bath water. _She had looked at him fearfully, sitting naked as far as she could in the small bathroom and shaking her head. It was her first real reaction. It took Kakashi forty minutes of coaxing – and three needs of changing the then cold water – before the toddler finally decided to come closer. He kept on saying stupid-looking things such as "The water is warm, chibi" or "Look at these pretty bubbles". Kori tested the temperature and entered the bathtub under Kakashi's narrowed eyes.

He had refrained from asking about it, sure that the small toddler wouldn't say anything about her fear. She did not.

Another problem was Kori's lack of clothes. When she came to his medium-sized apartment, Kori owned only two brown dresses, a pair of old shoes and a black skirt, though there was no shirt to be wore over it. All of it was, at least, two sizes too big to fit Kori's body.

So here was he in front of a clothing shop. Kori and he had walked under hate-filled eyes, and Kakashi was surprised about how well she could walk. Babies were generally clumsy, but Kori easily stood on her chubby legs and walked hand-in-hand with him.

"How about we get some clothes, hm, Kori-chan?" Kakashi sighed softly when she kept her face blank.

Kakashi had learnt through the entire week they'd been together that the best way to take care of a child like Kori was to talk to her at every opportunity. He addressed her in a calm way as abused children tended to be afraid of hot-headed people. The silver-haired man owed his sensei all this effort.

Thankfully, the shop's owner – Takashi Sho, an old friend of Kakashi – made no fuss about Kori'd tenant. He treated her kindly and asked about her favorite colors when discovered that she could understand him. She said nothing, but did point to the colors blue and orange. Kakashi wasn't fan of the last one, but he supposed that since Kori used to wear dark clothing, she'd like some vibrant colors. At the end of the day, they came back home with bags full of clothes.

Later that night, after both had eaten dinner and Kakashi had helped Kori in bathroom matters, they went to bed. Kori was silent as usual, but, this time, wore a cute pajamas and a polar-bear night cap covering her head.

Kakashi was already succumbing to sleep when a little hand shook him awake. He opened his eyes – both, since he takes his hitai-ite off to sleep – and saw Kori standing beside his bed, clutching her new, peach-colored teddy bear. It was almost half her size, but she didn't appear to care about it.

The man sat at once.

"Are you thirsty, Kori-chan? Do you need me to change your diaper?" Kakashi still felt strange being so mother-hen, but he reminded himself – mainly when changing a diaper – that he owed Minato and Kushina for what they did for him all his life.

She shook her head, clutching the plushie tighter.

"What is the problem then?"

Kori's pouty lips trembled. After a minute of deep thinking and hesitation, she opened her mouth and spoke for the first time since Kakashi met her, "_Thank you."_

She said it in a whisper and quickly kissed his cheek, before practically running out of his room, but Kakashi couldn't care less about her shyness. He just sat there, stupidly staring at the corridor as if expecting her to come back.

Kori had kissed him in thanks. She had spoken – and what a beautiful voice she had. It was a little high-pitched as any toddler's, but sweet and soft. People with voices like her should be talkative.

Kakashi was still smiling.

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**Momo: **peach

**Hitai-ite: **forehead protector

(I think everybody is aware of the other meanings, but any doubts just send me a PM).

Thank you for the reviews, wonderful readers! The story soon will reach the last chapter to be rewritten and continue!


	4. Momo's New Friends

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters. Holy cow, it's annoying to keep saying this… it's freaking obvious.**

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**Chapter 3: Momo's New Friends**

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Two days after Kori spoke for the first time to Kakashi, said man was invited by his friends to a picnic in the afternoon, since tomorrow was August 28th and Raido's birthday. Taking into account the fact that all components of the group of friends weren't away doing missions, they decided to celebrate one day earlier.

Kakashi still hadn't told anyone about Kori's adoption, and was a little nervous about what their reaction would be.

The silver-haired man had always been the _weirdo _of the group – even stranger than Gai and _that _meant something. He had graduated at age five and only met them at Rin's and Obito's own graduation, since they were supposed to be his new team. Before the Uchiha's death, he had been an arrogant, annoying preteen. After said event, Kakashi was a little lost about what to do with his life and just as he was coming to terms with it, his sensei died. The Jounin buried himself in missions and rarely saw his friends.

Kakashi sighed. _Yet, they invited me…_The silver-haired man felt a little bad for keeping such good friends away. He supposed that bad habits were difficult to break – including being an arrogant, annoying person. Wearing his usual Jounin attire, he went to Kori's room.

From his own room he could see the corridor and, consequently, the child's room. Ever since the shopping trip, he could find her on the floor, drawing. She was as good as a toddler could be – because, even though she knew how to write and read, her _kanjis _were still messy. Kakashi should've known that children would be children. As for her drawings per se, he thought that it might be an Uzumaki thing, because her mother loved the activity.

He sat beside her, observing as she drew as a butterfly. It was somewhat good.

"Ne, Kori-chan, I was invited to go to a picnic – would you like to come?" It wasn't an option. Kakashi certainly wouldn't leave her alone and the Sandaime was too busy to take care of toddler right now. And it was a good opportunity to introduce his – _daughter. _He still hesitated over the word, feeling as if he was betraying his sensei.

Kori looked at him with her big blue eyes, clutching Momo to her left side. They were inseparable, Kakashi discovered. The toddler went everywhere with him, except when bathing, because she didn't want to wet it. All her toys were treated as if they were of gold.

Kori's lips trembled hesitantly. When she finally decided it was safe to speak, Kakashi felt strangely proud of her.

"Can Momo come too?" She asked in her quiet, sweet voice.

Kakashi was intrigued, "Who is Momo?"

She said nothing more, showing her peach-colored teddy bear, which, apparently, had been named Momo.

"Of course Momo can." Kakashi inwardly winced. It felt a little silly talk like this. The things he did for this child… "But you need to change from your pajamas to pretty clothes, 'kay?"

As always, Kori refrained from talking, just nodding her blond-haired head. Twenty minutes later, they could be found at training 21. It was small enough to fit only one Genin team training, as it was on top of the Hokage Mountain. The view was breathtaking. When they arrived, however, Kakashi felt the urge to face-palm.

His friends were crazy.

Mitarashi Anko was _devouring _dangos – what's new? – while Yuuhi Kurenai looked at the scene wide-eyed. Namiashi Raido was sitting on a red towel with a bored expression, and Shiranui Genma and Sarutobi Asuma were grinning madly around him, making Raido wear a pink birthday hat. Gekkou Hayate and Uzuki Yuugao were cheering for Maito Gai, who was crazily dancing whilst shouting "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, YOUTHFULL FRIEND!" very, very loudly.

Kori had already been holding his hand, but she let it go in favor of clutching his left leg. Kakashi couldn't blame her: he was a little afraid too.

"Oh, my _fucking _God! The antisocial came!" Anko shouted, pointing at him like a little kid, even stopping her eat-all-dango-you-can solo contest.

Everybody immediately looked at the direction she was pointing. Surely, Kakashi was standing there.

"Well, it _is _Raido's birthday," he finally spoke with the only visible eyebrow shooting up.

"And your excuse for the other years was?" Yuugao questioned, crossing her arms over her chest. Kakashi groaned, but didn't answer. Had he really expected his friends to be on good terms with him after all the time he spent away?

Genma came to his rescue all the while chewing on his senbon, "Give him a break, babes, he was in ANBU." He threw a quick smile to the silver-haired man.

"Did. You. Just. Call. Me. Babe?" Anko practically growled each syllable.

Before the purple-haired woman could go berserk on Genma, however, Asuma spoke, "There's a mini, blue person on your leg, Kakashi."

Even Anko stopped to look. Kori was standing a little behind her new father, eyeing the strangers with suspicious eyes. Despite this, she looked cute while wearing a blue summer dress and having her shoulder-length hair up in too pigtails (short story: Kakashi had to learn how to make pigtails and ponytails).

"_Kawaii!" _All women shouted forgetting that they proud – sometimes scary – kunoichi. But Kori didn't smile, just clutched Momo tighter and stood closer to Kakashi.

Said man smiled sheepishly, silently apologizing for her shy behavior, "Her name is Uzumaki Kori. I adopted her a few days ago."

Everyone became serious. They knew who Kori was – they'd be stupid not to know it. Truthfully, most villagers were to blind by anger to notice her strong resemblance to the Yondaime, but this group of people had been friends with the former Team 7 – and could certainly tell that Kori's father was Minato, especially because they knew about Kushina's pregnancy. And, even if they didn't know about it, they'd still know who Kori was because of tenant.

"I thought she was almost three years old."

_The Kyuubi incident occurred almost three years ago, _Raido meant to say.

"She will be in October. Kori is small, right, chibi?"

_It was, but she suffered from abuse_, was his message. Kakashi eye-smiled at the toddler.

The group of friends glanced at each other and looked at the poor kid. She was tense as if expecting an attack.

Yuugao came closer, but still kept far enough to mean no harm and be friendly.

"Hey, chibi-san, my name is Yuugao," the woman introduced herself, offering a hand. Hesitantly, Kori took it.

"She doesn't speak much, but can understand everything we say," Kakashi explained. "Isn't that right, chiisai?" The silver-haired man kept asking rhetoric questions. It was becoming a habit of his to talk to her at every opportunity.

Kakashi didn't really the nickname, but Kori doubtlessly did. She never had one – except if counted _monster _as a nickname.

"'m not tiny," she mumbled. Momo was smiling at everybody.

"What?" Kakashi hadn't heard it, even with his enhanced senses. His friends looked just as clueless.

"You called me chiisai," she quickly said in a soft voice. "I'm not tiny."

Momo was being held so tight now that his button eyes were puffing out. She was so afraid of being hit that her body started to curl in a ball. The adults felt their hearts melting at the sad sight.

Kakashi scooped Kori up, sitting her in his hip. He smiled, "Are you sure? You don't even reach my hip."

The small girl nodded – she was sure she wasn't tiny.

They had a good afternoon, eating and talking. Raido was forced to keep wearing his pink hat and Kakashi was given an orange one that went horribly with his hair, but Kori loved. The silver-haired man felt good – he was back to his friends. Kori didn't speak again, but that was alright. She had already spoken enough for a few days.

The others Jounin didn't question him about the toddler's babyhood, for which he felt grateful.

Kakashi was sure that if he thought about it too much he'd kill someone.

* * *

**Chiisai: **tiny, small, pocket-size

**Momo: **peach


	5. Kori's Shyness

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter 4: Kori's Shyness**

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Kori clutched Momo closer to her body, hoping to bring some warmth. It was September, but it was unusually cold. Even with her baby-blue pajamas, polar bear nightcap and her fluffy company, she still trembled.

Kori looked up, observing the white ceiling of her room, which was covered in glow-in-the-dark stars. She was aware of the fact that Kakashi was asleep in his room, as well as the fact that she could go there if something was bothering her. But the small one really, really didn't want to go wake the man up just because she felt a _little _cold. Sure, the blanket over her wasn't enough, but so what? She was used to feeling uncomfortable – or hurt.

At the orphanage, there was no one. She slept in a room with no children around her, just a bed with a horrible mattress and a thin pillow. Most of the time, she wasn't allowed to go out, and even if she was, no child wanted to play with her. The caretakers made sure of that.

Kori bit her lower lip.

It had already been a month since she came – and Kori still couldn't speak freely. Or, really, do anything without being shy or insecure. Sometimes, against her own will, her body tensed as if preparing for an attack, and she felt so guilty when Kakashi noticed this. She didn't want him to think that she didn't trust him. She did. She just wanted to be… She just didn't want to be _like this_. The blonde hated that.

She hated her shyness.

She hated her insecurity.

She hated her whiskers marks.

She had her bright blond hair.

In fact, she hated almost everything. The only thing she did not hate was Kakashi. Ever since he adopted her, the man had become her whole world. Kori knew that she couldn't tell him this – who'd want to be the whole world of a _demon_? –, but it was good to think about it. Even if just think – she had never had anyone to think about it, anyway.

Kakashi treated her calmly, always speaking kindly and smiling through his mask. Everyday he'd wake her up with soft words and make Kori eat all her food, saying funny things about her being small and cute. He'd give her baths – patiently reassuring that the water was good and letting her check it –, change her diapers and don't press her about going to the toilet. He gave her clothes and toys. The man enjoyed her laugh.

Kakashi was simply perfect.

This fact made admittedly nervous. He was _too _perfect. Kori was young, but knew that no human being was kind. The only gentle one was an old man that came to visit her from time to time and, now, Kakashi. All the others were bad.

Would Kakashi leave? Was he waiting for an opportunity? Didn't he know she was a monster? The caretaker in her old orphanage said so.

Kori didn't know when she started to have an attentive conscience, but it probably was when mean people began mistreating her. The tiny toddler was kept in a separate room, true, but some days were just unlucky. She could remember the one day when a drunken man invaded the orphanage and found her – it wasn't as bad as when she was sent to the hospital a few weeks ago, but body hurt for days.

However, now that she lived with the silver-haired Jounin, she was never hurt again. It made her happy.

Kori rolled, uncomfortable, on the bed. Once again, she was hit by the fear of Kakashi leaving her. The toddler wished she was brave enough to tell him that. He always made her feel secure and warm inside, so why couldn't she tell him this? Why was she so weak?

Kori shivered. It was cold – too cold. She hugged Momo closer, hoping she was lucky enough to keep him if everything went downhill in the end.

* * *

Kakashi was awake. Being a Jounin – and a Hatake – made his senses sharper than most normal people. And he was particular alert these nights, because October was coming, making he stay wide awake all night long, thinking.

What if someone hurt Kori? Her birthday was coming closer every day. If something unfortunate happened to her, he would never forgive himself. Kakashi didn't know when Kori stopped being a favor to Minato and Kushina, and started being a precious person to him. Somehow, these weeks made him a different person.

At first, he thought he couldn't care about anyone – not in a family way. But Kori made him a mother-hen without even trying. When weather was cold, Kakashi always made her wear a coat. When it was hot, he gave her water enough to fill an elephant. And so on.

So it comes as no surprise that her sharp breath and roll over on her toddler bed again and again woke him up. It was three a.m. and she was practically a baby. Little girls needed to sleep.

Kakashi sighed and got up. Walking silent as a cat, he crossed the hallway and entered Kori's room. The walls were kept blue as the girl apparently liked and were full of drawings. All her plushies – ten in total – sat in a line on the table, smiling at the dark room. The clothes were neatly organized in the wardrobe, just one shelf over the toys.

The tiny blonde wasn't looking at him. She had her back facing him and her breath was to uneven to fake sleepiness.

"I know you're awake," Kakashi murmured.

She didn't stop staring at the wall.

"What's the problem, chiisai? You can tell me these things, you know."

Kori shook her head against the pillow. Kakashi sighed once again.

"Chiisai, I'm your guardian, alright? You're a smart girl, you know what that means."

Kori nodded in agreement.

"If so, why don't you let me help you? You don't need to be afraid of me."

Kori turned to stare at him. Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears, making Kakashi pause his questionnaire. Except for the first bath she took in this apartment, he had never seen her cry. Momo simply lied forgotten in her arms.

"'m not afraid of you," Kori murmured so quietly that he almost didn't hear.

"What are you afraid of, then?"

The small one looked away, "… 'lone."

"I'm sorry, I didn't understand."

Kori's lips trembled. Her eyes looked as big as two sapphires.

"_I'm afraid of being alone_," she repeated, louder this time, carefully. The toddler prepared herself for the worse, closing her eyes.

Kori wasn't expecting a hug. She wasn't used to hugs, but Kakashi had pulled the blonde child on his lap, patting her little head gently. He kissed the top of her head repeatedly.

"I will never ever leave you, is that understood? You're precious to me," Kakashi admitted as Kori looked up with astonishment. "Somehow, just this entire month, you made my life change. I wish you could see how special you are to me, Kori."

He kissed her head again before continuing.

"Before you came, I went to mission after mission and didn't care if I died or not–"

He was interrupter, "You can't die!"

His eyes widened, looking down at the child on his lap. It was the first time she said something like this, without shyness and hesitation, so urgently. Her arms tried to go around his chest, but they were too short.

"You can't die, you can't die, you can't die," the blonde continuously chanted under her breath, as if it'd make the word true.

"I will not," he promised. "I promised to never leave you. Never."

Kakashi wasn't the type to make doubtful promises. Who knew what was going to happen in the future? Promises such as "I'll never leave you" or "I'll always make you happy" are difficult as hell to keep. But Kakashi figured that since he'd be unhappy for the rest of his life if let Kori go, there was no bad in making this promise.

Kori observed him and the silver-haired man noticed that she still had tears in her eyes. She sobbed and cried, and Kakashi didn't know how much time they spent in the dark, just enjoying the comfort that each presence gave the. He rocked her back and forth in his lap, caressing her hair and kissing her head occasionally. Kori had grabbed his pajamas T-shirt as if her life depended on it.

"Now, why don't we go to my bed and sleep? Tomorrow we'll go to the park and I'm sure you'll want to be fully awake."

Kori nodded her head against his chest and Kakashi didn't press into speaking, knowing she would when she felt better. He walked them to his room and lied Kori down on his bed, tugging her in. She clutched Momo in her tiny hand and observed as Kakashi sat beside her.

The small blonde crawled to his side and grabbed a full fist of his shirt, leaning her little head against his body. He smiled at her, circling her tiny body with his arms.

"Good night, chiisai."

"Night, night, Daddy," she murmured sleepily. Soon enough, her breath became slow and she was asleep.

Kakashi blinked owlishly. _Daddy_ – he was a daddy.


End file.
